Buyers respond to how options, prices and evidence are presented as well as to the product itself. Understanding those influences can help you explain an offer clearly without relying on pressure or misleading comparisons.
There are some classic sales tricks in stores: where are the most expensive products placed, where are children’s products, why are there those shelves of chewing gum and candy bars next to the cash registers, why is the bread section at the very end of the store, why are there so-called mazes in some stores, how do music and smells influence the purchase…
There are many different motivators for the end customer to buy more and more.
The book Influence by Robert Cialdini, considered one of the most important works of social psychology, has opened our eyes even more to the secret world of sales.
If you are involved in marketing and sales, if you are a salesperson whose salary depends on the percentage of sales, or if you are a manager who needs to optimize the process itself, we advise you to get the book.
Here are the main ideas we took from the book, with some comments of our own.
Why do we buy more than we want and need? And how can we use some of the sales tricks ourselves?
Higher price = higher value
If something does not work at the price you set, try setting a higher price rather than a lower one. People often think that something that is expensive is more valuable.
The owner of the store could not sell certain pieces to tourists, but when she accidentally set the price double, everything was quickly sold! Because people tend to equate a high price with quality, they bought the jewelry believing it was valuable.
Vouchers = I get away cheaper
Offer your customers shopping coupons to motivate them to come into your store. Vouchers automatically mean I’ll buy cheaper and the sale is easier to get off the ground. This is why you often get shopping vouchers at some magazines.
The crossed out price is cheaper than the new one
A visible discount against an earlier price can make an offer look stronger, so any reference price should be one you have genuinely charged. People buy more when they think they are getting a better deal.
Income from supplements
Just as Apple no longer offers iPhone buyers a charger or headphones with the purchase of the phone – boosting sales of the same – you can do the same in other industries.
For example, if your customer is buying an expensive suit, you should also sell them accessories like a belt or shoes, because that will not seem as expensive to them compared to the price of the suit.
This will drive up sales
How can you sell an expensive suit next to a cheaper one? Always show a potential customer the more expensive product first, because if you show the cheaper one first, the more expensive one will seem much more expensive.
Similarly, online, offer multiple packages of what you are selling, the smallest and cheapest of which is also the most profitable. Shutterstock has a great sales policy where it’s most expensive if you buy photos individually. So go for the package.
Principle of reciprocity
When someone gives you a gift or invites you somewhere, you want to reciprocate because that’s how society works. Me for you – you for me. We prefer people who do us favors.
If you offer something to a customer in a store, they are more likely to buy.
And we are more likely to give something to a beggar if he gives us a flower or a pack of tissues than if he just begs.
Free samples at the store are a great way to sell a product (think wine or cheese tasting).
Letting customers try a product at home before they decide can also lead to sales.
He asks for a big favor to get a smaller one
If you ask someone for 10 dollars, he may not give it to you, but if you immediately ask for only two dollars, the person will be more inclined to give it to you because it is a much smaller amount and they don’t consider it a big loss.
Also, when you ask for a favor, be sure to say why – because I need it for… People do favors more easily when they hear the reason.
Refer a friend
Referrals work well because people trust other people, especially people they know, more than they trust companies.
If you have a referral and mention another person who recommended your service or product, that person will be more willing to listen and buy.
With this we conclude part one of our article. Stay tuned for our second and final part. In the meantime, Invoice Crowd helps you keep track of your invoices and costs.
